In fact, the engaged duo made their first red carpet appearance last night as a couple. And speaking to UsWeekly, the two insist their love is still as strong as ever.

While Ben, 29, has been dogged by cheating reports and photos in the last few weeks, he tells UsWeekly he and Courtney, 28, are finally settling into normal life. “It’s getting close,” said Ben. “Now that the show’s over and the star’s fading . . . [it’s] wonderful for us.” Courtney adds, “We’re getting there.”

The big question on everyone’s mind, of course, is if they are still planning to tie the knot. “No date set,” admitted Courtney. “We’re engaged, dating, taking it slow. We love each other very much. It took the pressure off. “

Ben adds: “We kind of looked back at some of the other Bachelor relationships that didn’t work out and the reason for that is you have so much pressure to move in together and set a date and all this kind of stuff . . . Let’s figure out who we are together before we do any of that and take the pressure off.” Makes sense!

If the couple does ever make it down the aisle, they plan to have their wedding in “Arizona or California somewhere,” according to Ben. By the way – no Bachelor in the history of the ABC series has ever wed the woman they picked.

Moving on to BacheloretteEmily Maynard, 25, who is currently filming her upcoming season in her home state of North Carolina, as well as other exotic locations. ABC has now released Emily’s first official photo as the Bachelorette! That pic is below. Her season is expected to air during late Spring.

[Photo Credit: Daniel Tanner/ WENN.com]

TELL US – THOUGHTS ON BEN & COURTNEY’S INTERVIEW? DO YOU EVER SEE THEM MAKING IT DOWN THE AISLE?

Just because the show’s over, doesn’t mean we’re off the hook for stories about The Bachelor. The tabloid-ready combination of Ben Flajnik and Courtney Robertson are still deemed interesting enough to produce news. Please don’t blame me if you’re sick of them! Blame their publicists.

First up is the rumor that Courtney might be pregnant. This isn’t new, there were reports floating around that she was pregnant about a month ago. An insider says, “Courtney has been hinting to people that work on the show that she’s pregnant!” They go on with some specific hints, “She’s been emotional and complaining of an upset stomach a lot. Whenever anyone offers her a drink she refuses, which isn’t like her at all!”

No alcohol and feeling sick sounds a bit pregnant to me. The source says Ben is also acting differently, and that his friends say he’s “freaking out about something.” They’re at least self-aware enough to know that they should not have a kid together, especially since they broke up just a few months ago. “Ben and Courtney have already had so many issues, they’re really not sure if they’re even going to stay together. It would really be a terrible time to be having a child.”

Even if a child is not in the cards, Ben and Courtney do seem to be giving their relationship a genuine shot. US Magazine reports Courtney was spotted moving in to Ben’s apartment in San Francisco, which he naturally shares with two roommates. Apparently, they do plan on getting their own place. A friend of the couple says, “They want to get settled in as soon as possible.”

Courtney’s even been walking Ben’s dog around the neighborhood and the couple was seen watching college football together a few weekends ago, looking “like an old married couple.” Courtney has since stated that she has yet to move in with Ben.

The duo also took a vacation to Puerto Vallarta last week to, maybe, do some skinny dipping and reignite their romance. Who is paying for this? ABC? Someone is awfully invested in keeping these two together, no? Anyway, in Puerto Vallarta onlookers reported to Life & Style that “When they kissed, it seemed forced.” and “For an engaged couple, they weren’t so lovey-dovey.” The onlooker added, “Ben seemed a bit distracted on the trip.”

An insider says this may be the last try the couple gets to repair their relationship: “This was a make-or-break vacation for them. They wanted to spend time together and see whether this whole thing can work.”

Just because The Bachelor has ended its sixteenth run, doesn’t mean that the tabloid industry isn’t still running all kinds of news on its winner, Courtney Robertson. This past season’s villainess is still being accused of being a sneaky gold digger who is only into Ben Flajnik for all his millions. And his hair. We can’t forget that.

In a recent report from In Touch, someone trying to make money by spilling secrets about Courtney, reveals the oh-so-shocking news that she “has had numerous plastic surgeries, including implants, fillers, laser surgery and Botox.” Her, and every other woman currently on television. You can’t get that creepy emotionless stare without injecting poison into your forehead, ya know.

The source also alleges that Courtney’s life goals are not so wholesome, spilling that “Her life’s goal is not to settle down and have kids, it’s to be aPlayboy model.” Playboy models make good money! I’m not so sure if I buy this, only because there are easier ways to model for Playboy that don’t involve going on a cheesy reality show. And given all his partying, I’m not so sure Ben wants to settle down either.

The source is adamant that Courtney’s main goal is to pose naked for the iconic men’s magazine, claiming all she wants is money. The source says, “I think that will be her next move. She wants the money. All she’s really looking for is to be supported financially.” Now I’m confused, is she a gold-digger for Ben’s wallet or does she just want to be out on her own to pose naked as she wishes? Snitches need to be clearer.

As for Courtney, she recently gave her first solo post-show interview to Wetpaint, and she sounds downright normal in it, and not like some conniving wanna-be nude model. She reveals she and Ben just spent a weekend together (photos are below) in San Francisco and that she hopes to move there soon. For now, the couple has to deal with attention from the tabloids and paparazzi, but it doesn’t bother Courtney:

“We try not to pay attention to it. I guess positive stories don’t sell, so no one wants to run the truth. All they care about is selling magazines so they come up with these crazy, scandalous stories that are just so ridiculous. I mean, I’m carrying the Bachelor baby? At first, it made me really angry, but I’ve made peace with it.”

She insists that she wasn’t bothered by all the reports of Ben cheating and partying with other girls, and buys his “we’re just friends” excuse:

“Of course, initially it was upsetting. But at the end of the day, if I didn’t trust him, I wouldn’t be with him, period.

He has a lot of female friends and he’s a playful, flirty guy who likes to party with everyone. I get that about him and I’m completely fine with it. He’s a really warm and social person.

But he became a target. The tabloids hired people to follow him everywhere, just waiting for the chance to snap a photo of anything they could to make it look like he was doing something shady. I think you can take a photo and make it look like anything if you really want to.

Am I thrilled about the photos? No. But I believe him when he says he didn’t cheat.”

As for her relationship with the other women, most who couldn’t stand her, Courtney says “..it’s definitely not as bad as people might think. Everyone’s moving on.” But she is quick to admit that she “would have handled herself differently” if she had to do it all over again.

When it comes to the public backlash, Courtney claims things are starting to improve: “I just spent the weekend with Ben in San Francisco and people kept coming up to us and offering words of encouragement. So yeah, things seem to be getting better.”

And unlike Ben, who has been quoted saying this was the worst experience of his life, Courtney would “do it again in a heartbeat.” Of course she would! Photos of Ben and Courtney together are below!

I think it’s fair to say that Ben Flajnik and Courtney Robertson‘s real world relationship has gotten off to a rough start. First, he admitted to dumping her after she was a royal twat to all the other women in the house, including making threatening comments about fellow contestant Emily O’Brien. Then, she has been begging the public to forgive her on national TV – and sadly it doesn’t seem to be working! And, he’s been accused of cheating after being caught on film kissing other women.

Instead of throwing in the towel, Ben and Courtney are making a concerted effort to make it work because their ABC contract demands it, but before we get to all that, Ben has possibly been caught, yet again, with another mystery woman. Good God, man – keep it in your pants!

Life & Style caught the terribly coiffed Bachelor joining a Courtney look-a-like for an alcohol-soaked picnic at San Francisco’s Tipsy Pig this past Sunday on March 11. Even more damning, in the photos below, the brunette was seen straddling a topless Ben and giving him a massage. Now, is that really the behavior of an engaged man? Not in the least! PHOTOS of Ben and the mystery woman are below!

“It seemed like they were close,” an eyewitness describes. And there was a whole lotta boozing going on! “They were drinking at the restaurant and at the park.” Ben was also caught hanging out with a different woman the night before! “Ben lit up when he saw a blonde woman he knew in the restaurant. He got up from his seat at the table and greeted her with a quick peck on the lips. He insisted she sit down at his table,” a bystander reports. “He had his arm around her hugging her. They both seemed happy and really into the conversation.”

Later that same evening, Ben was seen hopping into a cab with yet a different woman. A source claims they were just sharing a ride and he dropped her off at her place before heading home. A likely story…

How is Courtney handling all the news of her fiancé’s womanizing? She allegedly doesn’t care! And furthermore, all her televised apologizing and crying was a ruse! “Courtney’s tears are all bulls—. She wants to get everything she can out of this,” the insider claims. “And don’t feel bad for Ben either,” the insider insists. “His winery is doing well, so it’s a win-win for both of them.”

“They’re going to milk it as long as they can,” the insider adds.

And indeed that appears to be the case. In a new inteview for PEOPLE magazine, Ben talks his decision to rekindle things with Courtney and give her another chance, despite her catty behavior and idiosyncrasies. Ben hopes “people will get a better understanding of who we are and why we’re still together.”

So what does Ben see in Little Miss Crazy? Apparently, she continually questioned him! “She was one of the only girls on the show that questioned the experience and that’s what I found attractive about her – and I still do. Courtney was always like, ‘I’ve only been on two dates with you, why should I bring you home? My family is really important to me,'” Ben reveals.

“It was like finally, someone who asks the right questions instead of [saying], ‘My family is going to love you and it’s going to be wonderful and we could be married for the rest of our lives.’ ” Yep, Courtney came right out questioning the asinine Bachelor ways, despite signing on to appear with the so-called intentions of meeting her future husband.

As for how Ben anticipates things going in the future, he is confident! “Maybe someday people will get behind us, but for now we work really well together,” he explains. “The Bachelor will not define me as a person. This will be a blip in a few years.” Well, at least that’s a pragmatic approach!

It seems Courtney is in agreement, and according to Wetpaint she is planning to move to San Francisco. “That’s definitely happening, although it’s not something they’re going to do overnight,” an insider explains of their planned living arrangements.

“For now, Courtney will start spending weekends up there getting familiar with Ben’s life and his friends. And Ben’s going to make trips down to LA to do the same thing — meet Courtney’s friends and spend time with them.” I have a feeling Courtney is not going to like most of Ben’s friends as they seem to be mostly women – which we know she has difficulty with!

“They will start looking for a place to live together in Northern California. That’s where his business is and where his whole life is. Courtney’s looking forward to the move. They truly care about each other and they’re excited about this next chapter.”

The insider adds that Ben and Courtney aren’t interested in doing a big media tour either. Which sounds doubtful to me, given Ben just admitted neither one of them joined the show for love. “They have a few media obligations to fulfill as part of their contracts, like the cover of People magazine, which comes out this week, “ the insider asserts. “But other than those few commitments, they’re not interested in a big press tour. They’re just looking forward to spending some quality alone time with each other.”

Perhaps, this is the case of two skeptical people who just happened to fall in love on television and now want to be happy together, but frankly I don’t believe it!

WILL BEN AND COURTNEY MOVE IN TOGETHER? WHAT IS HE DOING WITH ALL THESE OTHER WOMEN? IS THIS A PUBLICITY STUNT OR ARE THEY TRULY IN LOVE?

CLICK THE CONTINUE READING BUTTON TO SEE PHOTOS OF BEN WITH A COURTNEY LOOK-A-LIKE!

In what has been described as somewhat of a dark season, all thanks to the black widowCourtney Robertson, the Bachelorseason 16 ended last night with an engagement!

Yes Ben Flajnik, 29, did indeed propose to Courtney, 28, as expected, and much to the dismay of may fans. In fact, Courtney found herself on the receiving end of some boos when she took the stage for the After The Final Rose special.

So what’s the latest with the couple? Well, it appears they are still together for the time being, and trying to make things work. The engaged couple was brutally honest during the March 3 taping of the ATFR, during which Ben revealed that he did dump Courtney in early February over not being able to deal with the backlash.

There were times “I didn’t leave the house, I just laid there and I cried,” revealed a somber Courtney over being dumped, adding that trust is very important to her.

Ben, who vehemently swore on his father’s grave and denied cheating — despite the photos and reports that say other wise — then apologized to Courtney and vowed to be there for her through thick and thin. “It hasn’t been an easy ride,” Ben said. “I want to apologize to her, in front of everyone, for not standing by you throughout this entire journey…I messed up in that regard, as an engaged couple and as the man, I feel I should have stayed with you the entire way instead of taking steps back and taking time apart.”

The apology seemed to work as Courtney added, “I know how I feel about him, and that I love him. I’m not ready to just turn my back on him. So…I’m willing to try.”

Ben and Courtney are expected to grace tomorrow’s over of PEOPLE magazine. I must say, I actually found myself feeling bad for Courtney last night. I know she was this awful villain, but she does seem to truly love Ben, plus Ben chose her despite all the warnings from others, and should have therefore stuck by her through the hard times. I can’t imagine the two would ever be able to build complete trust again, especially in light of the cheating scandal.

Moving on to the forgotten runner up, Lindzi Cox, who managed to keep her dignity intact when she told Ben to call her in case things didn’t work with Courtney.

Appearing on Good Morning America today, Lindzi seemed to be in a much happier place, even wishing Courtney and Ben the best. “At the end of the day, yeah maybe it was tough for a little bit, but he made a decision, it was what’s best for him, and I respect that,” said Lindzi, 27. “I wish him nothing but the best.”

As for why she failed to appear on the AFTR special, Lindzi stated that Ben and Courtney simply had more important issues to hash out than her need for closure. “Ben and Courtney came out and it was a pretty emotional go they had. I think it was tough for them. I’m in a good place. I don’t really need my closure,” Cox said. “I think Ben has bigger things to worry about, so we just decided that I’d play another day.”

Meanwhile, ABC announced that a new season of the Bachelor Padis under way. Even better, similar to the past MTV Read World/Road Rules challenges, the network will now allow fans to try out for the series!

A slot is being kept open for one fan on the series to compete for the $250,000 prize! Those with the “charm, wit and personality to find love or money” on Bachelor Pad 3 can apply by clicking here.

And finally, Emily Maynard’s season of the Bacheloretteis also coming soon! ABC revealed the new season will debut on Monday, May 14. Filming is reportedly slated to begin on Wednesday in North Carolina.

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TELL US – THOUGHTS ON THE BACHELOR FINALE? DO BEN & COURTNEY STAND A CHANCE? DO YOU FEEL BAD FOR COURTNEY OR BEN? WILL YOU BE TRYING OUT FOR THE BACHELOR PAD 3?

Following the reports and photos, which showed Ben Flajnik cheating on his fiancé from The Bachelor, many have wondered what is the status of their relationship.

While viewers will find out tonight, following the season finale and After The Final Rose special, UsWeekly is giving us details on what we can expect! If you’ve kept up with the cheating scandal, you know that Ben was pictured making out with multiple women last month, two of which spent the night at his apartment.

So how did Ben explain this away to his rumored fiancé Courtney Robertson? UsWeekly reports that despite his sloppy cheating, Ben still wants to give things a shot with Courtney and lied his way back into her heart during the March 3 taping of the After The Finale Rose special.

Ben reportedly swore on his father’s grave that he was just kissing “old friends.” Though insiders say he only met the women in February, and is still texting one of them. Yikes.

The mag states that Courtney has been totally miserable since filming wrapped. Ben actually broke off his engagement to her on February 7, three months after he filmed the proposal in November. This is consistent with lots of other rumors that have popped up about Ben and Courtney. Another report gives more details about Ben’s evasion, revealing “Things did get shaky between them. Ben panicked. He put Courtney on the back burner, didn’t call for a week (including on Valentine’s Day). He drowned himself in his partying.”

Ben‘s behavior towards Courtney is once again blamed on how he felt after seeing how she was acting on the show when she wasn’t with him. Her on-screen antics and interviews were so heinous, a friend says “Ben cracked. He was hearing from everyone that he got played.”

In the upcoming televised therapy special (please make this trend of televised therapy stop!), Courtney allegedly admitted that she felt Ben “abandoned” her and that she “had days where [she] stayed in bed and cried.”

Despite the poor odds for Bachelor couples, Ben and Courtney are now rumored to be giving their relationship another shot, perhaps on directive from their ABC overlords. Ben has apparently purchased a new engagement ring for Courtney and has told her “I’m going to be there for you forever!”

And there’s also been talk of the pair going on another fancy location, this time without a camera crew. “They’re going someplace very remote, where no one cares about The Bachelor,” Ben’s friend reveals, “That way they can see where the relationship really stands without cameras rolling.”

TELL US : FEEL BAD FOR COURTNEY? DO YOU THINK COURTNEY AND BEN STAND A CHANCE?